Galbraith’s latest formidably good
Lethal White, by Robert Galbraith (aka J K Rowling) Sphere $37.99. Reviewed by Ken Strongman
Lethal White is the fourth in the series of Cormoran Strike books written under J K Rowling’s pseudonym Robert Galbraith, and it is clearly the best.
Furthermore, there are more than 600 pages of it, creating a fine indulgence. But why so long?
The reason is clear: JKR bit off such a large morsel of plot that to chew it over thoroughly took some time and space.
In brief, the story interplays between the rough London East End, the smoothly posturing West End and the Houses of Parliament. There is a country manor, in a typical state of near dilapidation, and a seriously disturbed young man who seeks out Strike (now famous through catching the Shacklewell Ripper in Career of Evil) because he believes he saw a murder when he was young.
There is a cabinet minister probably up to no good (Tory, of course). There are rabblerousing Lefties. They all come together in a complex maelstrom, personal and public lives scrunching together.
However, the complexities of the plot are simply a vehicle for the author to continue to explore the complex relationship between Strike and his assistant, now professional partner, Robin Ellacott.
Strike is hampered as ever by his missing leg and constantly painful stump. Robin is now hampered by panic attacks because of her near-death in their previous case. Meanwhile, her relationship with Matthew continues. He is a character I have despised over four novels.
Throughout the book, the relationships are characterised with subtlety, often by implication rather than direct description, so ensuring that the pages turn, even when the action is correspondingly slowed down.
The differences between the rough and the smooth in the English class system also form part of the structure of Lethal White, portrayed with a biting accuracy. There is posturing and bluster on all sides, so ingrained as to be integral to the various ways of life that clash daily.
Do readers want all this in a work of crime fiction? I believe the answer is, yes, certainly, if the writer is capable of creating it, and Galbraith clearly is. The Harry Potter books have been massively successful, but, in my view, JKR’s finest writing is as Galbraith, so it is possible that the Cormoran Strike books will be equally successful.
To read Lethal White (an interesting title, the meaning of which does come to light) is to read a very fine work of crime fiction.
But it is one that is also an analysis of relationships, the class system and even the atmosphere of London in its guises. To cap it all, JKR manages to resolve all the devilish complexities of plot in the final few pages, and to do so unfalteringly and convincingly. It must have taken equally devilish concentration to bring it home. She is a formidable writer.
The complexities of the plot are simply a vehicle for the author to continue to explore the complex relationship between Strike and Robin Ellacott.